


Heart Beneath the Flower Petals

by KeeboTheDreamingRobot



Category: Persona 5
Genre: #Pegoryu Week 2018, Also give me your tears, Angst with a Happy Ending, Day 5 - Free day, Don't @ Me, Hanahaki Disease, Late submission AGAIN, M/M, Pre-pegoryu, or so you thought it would be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 03:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15186017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeeboTheDreamingRobot/pseuds/KeeboTheDreamingRobot
Summary: Beneath the calm petals is the withering roots of solitary love. Ryuji knew he can never express his feelings to the one he loves without getting rejected so he decided to bear this feelings ‘till the day he dies.





	Heart Beneath the Flower Petals

**Author's Note:**

> HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!!!  
> Pegoryu Week. Day 5. Free day!  
> Remember the time I said that my works are fluff for Pegoryu Week? You thought wrong! I am craving for the tears of the innocent so I'll take your salty tears! 3:)  
> Anyways, prepare your tissue and enjoy~! :)

Frequent coughing,easily exhausted,and always out of breath. Ryuji has been experiencing these symptoms ever since that half-confession with Akira. At first he decided to ignore it but it just got worse as days have passed. He’s coughing blood with petals, his chest is throbbing in pain, and his usually jolly self turned into a sick, tired, and pale self. He tried to look natural but he can’t. His current state is too hard to conceal.

“Shit! Not again!” Ryuji cursed as he coughed hard again.

“Hey Ryuji, you should really go to a doctor. You’ve been coughing for weeks now.” Ann looks concerned.

“Nah, this will go away eventually.” Ryuji reassured, hoping that they would stop caring for his sickness.

“But the sickness you have affects your performance drastically. I suggest taking Ann’s suggestion and seek medical assistance.” Yusuke added.

“Like I said, it’s just a cold. Don’t worry about it!” Ryuji is starting to get annoyed.

“We were just concerned about you, Ryuji. You always looked tired and pale so we can’t help but worry.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Anyways, with that current state, we cannot go to Mementos today.” The cat stated. “It is best to stay at home and rest.”

Knowing that protesting won’t do anything, Ryuji just groaned and leaves along with the others.

 

After heading home, Ryuji went straight to bed as he was exhausted. Staring at the blank ceiling, Ryuji recalled the time he went to the doctor.

_ “I’m afraid to say that you are currently suffering from Hanahaki Disease. It is a mythical disease that causes the victim to cough flower petals along with blood. The victim will also experience constant exhaustion and shortness of breath.” _

_ “But is there anything we can do to this? Like a cure or something?” _ _  
_ _ “Unfortunately, we currently have no cure for this, but we can perform surgery to remove the origin of the disease.” _

_ “How did I get this disease in the first place? You said it was mythical but you knew too much about this stuff.” _

_ “There’s no definite cause for this disease but it was rumored to originate by one-sided love.” _

“One-sided love, huh?” he wondered. “I do love Akira. I even gave hints that I love him but it seems that Akira doesn’t give a damn about it.”

Ryuji slammed his arm to the mattress. “This is bullshit! Reality is just a bunch of bullcrap!”

The blond coughed blood and petals on the floor, “Why I can’t love someone without being hurt? Does the world hate me that much?”

The blond cried in pain and sadness as he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

_ The next day _

Akira noticed that Ryuji is out the whole day. He didn’t hear the usual greetings from the blond, nor his lively voice at the classroom hall.

“Kurusu-kun, can I ask you a favor?” Kawakami called.

“What is it?”

“Can you send these handouts to Ryuji? I know he don’t take this seriously but can you still send this to him?”

“Sure, I’ll visit him anyway.”

“Then I’ll leave the rest to you.” Kawakami left downstairs for the faculty meeting.

“I’m having a bad feeling about this…” Akira muttered as he went his way to Ryuji’s house.

 

Akira arrived at Ryuji’s apartment, knocking at the empty door.

“Ryuji? Are you there?” No one responded.

He tried twisting the knob, but it’s locked. He called Ann on his phone, hoping she knew if she had a spare key.

“Ann.”

“Oh hey, Akira. Something wrong?”

“Do you have spare key at Ryuji’s apartment? The door’s lock and no one’s answering when I knocked the door.”

“Spare key? Oh! There should be a spare key on their mailbox.”

“Okay, okay. Thanks.”

“No prob!” Akira dropped the call.

He went to check their mailbox and alas, a spare key is present. He grabbed the key and went back. He opened the door with the key and a dark room appeared before him.

“Sorry for the intrusion.”

Akira is searching the whole house when he noticed a paper and a plate with food.

_ Ryu-chan, The manager of one of my part-time jobs called me and said that they need me to cover my coworker’s shift so I left very early. I made you some food before I go. Make sure you reheat this before you eat it. _

_ -Mom _

Akira looked at the food and the plastic cover is still covering the untouched food.

“He hasn’t eaten anything this whole time?” Akira’s slowly becoming more and more worried about Ryuji. 

He hastily searched everywhere, room to room, to look for Ryuji’s room. Eventually, he opened Ryuji’s door, discovering Ryuji’s unconscious body lying beside a small pool of blood and flower petals.

“Ryuji!” Akira dashed towards the blond, checking his unsteady breathing and pulse.

“A...kira…” Ryuji regained his consciousness as he coughed petals.

“Ryuji! We’re going to the hospital right now!” Akira carried the blond and ran towards the nearest hospital.

The blond grabbed the raven’s hand, “No… need…”

“What are you saying, Ryuji?! You’re dying!” Tears falling into Akira’s eyes.

“Does it … even matter?” Ryuji laughed.

“This is not the time to joke around, Ryuji!”

“ Why… do you even… bother saving my life? I’m just… worthless…” Ryuji coughed blood again.

“No! you’re not! Why do you ever think of that?!”

“Hehe… *cough* I don’t have much… time left.”

“No… Ryuji! Don’t go! We need you!” Akira placed his head over Ryuji’s chest, “I need you…”

“Akira…” 

“I love you… I love you so much Ryuji... Don’t go.” Akira sobbed. 

Ryuji weakly kissed the raven’s lips as he uttered his last words with a weary smile, “I love you too, Akira… I’m sorry…”

“RYUJI!!!”

 

As Akira cried over the deceased lover’s body, petals slowly flowed around the room then circled around the crying raven. Magically, Ryuji’s body began to float in the air and bright light shone throughout the room. After that blinding light disappeared, the blond slowly dropped into Akira’s arms. The blond opened his eyes, as if he woke up from a long hibernation.

“Ryuji! I’m so gla-” before Akira finished speaking, Ryuji quickly leaned to give Akira a quick kiss.

Akira smiled tearily after receiving the kiss and ruffled Ryuji’s hair, “Welcome back, you dork.”

The blond sleepily laughed, “I love you, Akira.” and slept again in Akira’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fan theory: Ryuji actually died in the end. All of these whimsical events are just Akira's imagination as he can't bear the despair of his beloved's death.


End file.
